1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information-processing apparatus, a reproduction apparatus, a communication method and a computer program, and more particularly to an information-processing apparatus, a reproduction apparatus, a communication method and a computer program wherein an evaluation value of content data is used.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a recording and/or reproduction apparatus which includes a large-capacity recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a semiconductor memory has been developed as a recording and/or reproduction apparatus for digital content data such as music content data. Such content data is hereinafter referred to simply as “content”. As such recording/reproduction apparatus, not only an information-processing apparatus such as a personal computer (PC) in which a large-capacity storage medium can be incorporated readily but also a small-size portable reproduction apparatus (portable device: PD) which is easy to carry have been popularized generally. Such a portable reproduction apparatus as just mentioned can store an increased number of contents together with an increase of the storage capacity of the storage medium and can store, for example, several thousands or several tens of thousands of musical contents.
However, as it becomes possible for a recording and/or reproduction apparatus to store a very large number of contents, it becomes difficult to manage the stored contents. For example, a problem appears that those contents which are not enjoyed any more by the user as a result of a change in the liking of the user or together with the social trend remain stored in the storage medium. Operation of selecting and deleting such contents for every content is cumbersome, and after such operation, those contents which are necessary and those contents which are not necessary remain in a mixed state in the storage medium. Also it is a problem that it is difficult for the user to search a great number of contents for a content conforming to the liking of the user itself to reproduce the content.
Thus, a content data recording and reproduction apparatus which makes it possible to reproduce a content reflecting the liking of the user is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-38541 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). According to the apparatus, an evaluation value (evaluation point) of a content is recorded in addition to the content to allow evaluation (rating) of the content.